1x vs 2x - I was WRONG!

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If I were buying a new gravel bike today, it would be tough to decide 1x vs. 2x, but I'd ultimately go with 1x SRAM XPLR... maybe I was wrong about 2x all along!

Gear I’m Riding and Into (updated 2/2024) ↓↓↓
*Some of these are affiliate links

Instagram: @outdoorbros_

0:00 Intro
1:14 Road vs. Mountain
1:38 Key Considerations
2:23 Tire Clearance
2:59 Gear Spacing
3:30 Aesthetics
3:42 Fewer Chain Drops
3:57 Terrain Choice
4:53 SRAM XPLR: The Real MVP
5:23 My 1x Future
5:58 Up Next

Drop me a line, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for watching!
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Do you agree? Is it time to ditch the FD? Why??? ✌🏻

outdoorbros_
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I personally love the new 1x set up from the gravel XPLR. For 98% of people complaining about differences they probably wouldn’t actually notice anything if on the bikes. I’m a fan of the “keep it simple stupid” approach on gravel.

drdumbo
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Cadence is more perceptible on road, prefer 2x. Also provides good chain line from gearing combination for efficiency

Jacob
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Of course the weight difference between 2x & 1x also needs to factor in the 176g weight increase in the cassette (10-44 XPLR v 10-36 Force) and that weight sits in the rear wheel instead of spread across the bike (front mech & chainring). I love the 105 Di2 setup on my Diverge, but then I’m mostly road with 32c Conti 4S tyres. I guess that’s the luxury we have these days, so much (maybe too much) choice! Your input on these subjects is well balanced and honest. Great work, just keep em coming.

indiebikes
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62 years of age, riding/racing since late 80s...(Thanks Greg L.) Rd bike - Ultegra 2x, CX bike -105 2x with 33 mm tires, mtn bike XT 2x. I run my front derailleurs about 3mm above big ring, with chain about 0.75 mm from the derailleur with crank under torgue, when in highest gear. Same with little ring, in lowest gear. I never drop chains. Just do the math, more and better spaced gear ratios.

ohio__erie
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I want smooth gear changes on a slope and 1x does not have it.
They cost roughly the same when you actually buy it.
If a front mech works, it works. It is really hard to drop the chain on a tuned Shimano setup unless you put stupidly amount of load when shifting.
A small chainring in the front is simply a more elegant engineering practice than putting a massive cassette on the rear wheel.

timwong
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I bought an Aspero to serve as a multi surface bike, I have the stock DT Swiss wheels, a set of Ultregra wheels with 30mm road tires and my next purchase is 650b with a wider tire. This build led me to also go with GRX 2x and I have had no issues with gearing, dropped chains etc…. So far it lives up to the multi purpose plan I had. I also have a couple of mtn bikes and a few road bikes so I pick a bike based on the ride…. But more and more, I’m leading to the gravel bike with this build. Can’t wait to try the 650b’s.

mikeburton
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I went SRAM Wide (43/30 x 10-36). Has more or less the same top end as 44 x 10-42 (especially since I spin), allows for more tire clearance than 46/33 (or similar not wide 2x), and has more climbing gears than the 44 x 10-42. I don't drop chains since I set it up right (has clutch derailer) as long as I don't shift under lots of load. All the gears I need for anything since I am old and cranky and no longer care if I can pedal down a mountain > 60kph. It's literally just 1/2 a gear less bottom range then mullet builds but no giant gaps, so I can climb anything on it.

davethedogdude
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I am biased: as I rode MTB for decades, front derailleurs meant nothing but trouble. Dropped chains, chain suck... . So, when Sram introduced one-by that was wonderful. To me, on gravel XPLR is perfect. I don't really ride pure road, so ideal cadence in group rides are no concern.

marcowalther
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I have a 10-44 XPLR cassette and 50-34 in front. And I am using Shimano Ultegra 12 speed Di2. Having this setup for 1 year now. Best of both world !

raphaelgernez
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Nicely said. I waffled on this, opting for a safer choice for me - Ultegra 2x 12 speed groupset with road and gravel wheel sets that allowed me to tune the rear cassette size for each. Though I ride the LS 70% road 30% gravel with 30 vs 38mm tires I think the front derailleur clearance issue is an important one for me and also is a limiting "factor". What puts me off 1x for a do-it-all bike is the very real possibility of needing to swap front chain-ring on occasion which feels a bit wrong. Regarding dropping chains, never been an issue but I do have a catcher there to protect the frame in case.

KevinMatassa
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I have SRAM Wide 2x 43-30 and a 10-36 on my Crux which gets used for heavy off road and as winter road bike. It has such a wide range it can do everything; you look at the gear table and it’s lower than a 42 x 44 and only slightly less high than a 44 x10. Spacing perfect, and with new sram force d2 have never had a chain drop. Lots of tyre clearance with wide too. The bike is my do it all, so this is a perfect set up. Just added blips too and this was a brilliant addition.

martinwastie
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For gravel, 42t oval and 10-50 cassette. For road, 48t oval and 10-50 cassette. For my MTBs, 34-36t ovals and 10-52 cassettes. Never have chain drops or running out of gears here in Michigan.

michiganstate
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I live where it is steep as hell once you go off pavement, 10-52 is the only way for me to go on gravel.

On road I still use 2x.

DanaBlack
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I drop the front mech on all my bikes except the tandem. It’s 2by now.
Getting back on the bike after 30yrs off was perfect timing👍

keithnewton
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I ride a Checkpoint SL 6 and it came with a 1x Rival group including the 10-44t cassette. As you mentioned, I updated the chainring to a 44t and I love it's performance on gravel and road. It definitely takes some time to adapt to the jumps while shifting through the cassette. However, that is a minor sacrifice to be able to enjoy the wonderful simplicity of the 1x configuration.

jamespotts
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I’m a gravel racer - SRAM 1 x all day every day. Red shifters, Red Aero 50T chainring/Red Quarq crank, Eagle XX1 rear derailleur, Eagle XX1 rainbow cassette and chain. Gorgeous and bomb-proof. And every year we’re running wider tires simply because they’re usually faster.

petersouthernboy
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1by is for specialized usage. If you can pin down your terrain to either steep or not, you might be happy enough. Go outside that range and you will be annoyed and forced to change chain rings or cassettes or both. For wide range and fine gears I'd rather drop a chain once in a while than the whole chain ring. And if you really want a do-it-all solution, you will need to hack yourself a 2by mullet system, with a wide range cassette like 10-40 in the back and 43/30 up front or something like that.

thomasspotzl
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My ideal is the Full Mullet. 10-52 out back. 40 or 42 Oval up front. The 10-52 AXS Eagle and Eagle T-type Cassettes are 2 gear jumps between the first 5 gears, then 3 gear jumps for the next 2 gears. That's tight enough spacing for me to find a good enough cadence, and nearly the same jumps as an XPLR on the faster end of the cassette. I'm not fast enough and/or confident enough to need anything more than 10 out back and 42 oval upfront. If I'm exploring remote places, carrying gear, bikepacking/touring, or other ultra endurance style ride, you bet I'm going to want more than 1-to-1 on the low end for climbing. AXS makes it "easy" to mullet. If you want the added benefit of SRAM "Transmission", then it can be trickier to find a gravel frame with UDH.

RideShagbark
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Thanks ! After using both 1x and 2x I believe the MOST important factor is gear spacing (which is why i'm unsatisfied with offering such as 11-34 shim 12speed or 10-36 rival cassette btw). Alas Sram XPLR has only one 1 tooth spacing (10 and 11) and most of the fast end of the cassette has 2 teeth gap (13-15-17 etc), exactly where you miss the right gear.
The only real offering to combine 1x and correct gear spacing would be 13 speed Ekar, but it's mechanical, has another specific driver body...

RadicalChic